What Could Have Been
by skipperxotter
Summary: Traveling-verse. The things that would have been different, had Trainer been sane.
1. Starting Point

**I do not own Pokemon**

**I'm writing this story to see what Trainer would be like if Trainer was actually sane.**

**XxXxXxX**

"You ready?" Annabel's soft voice prods me from my trance. I blink, eyes dry after staring out the train window for several hours and turn to nod. My handler smiles and leans in, as if to kiss my forehead, like the proud mother that she is pretending to be. "The will of steel never wavers." Her kind voice is harsh, filled with bloody promises, "The will of steel never bends."

Beauty turned into a beast. She'll kill me if I fail to answer correctly.

"And neither will I." I whisper back, hands shaking with the weight of responsibility. I'm not sure if I can do what I am supposed to. But I must, "For I am a child of steel. My will never wavers. My will never bends." The last words fall from my lips like honey, sweet and warming, filling me with confidence.

Annabel studies my face for a long moment, then nods, approving of my resolve. "It is time for me to go. I will see you again, when the leaves fall and ground is sown with salt." My mind automatically translates her words. I have until Erika and Blue of Kanto are assassinated, so about sixteen months.

She pulls away, suddenly back into her persona of being a loving mother. "I'll get you some lemonade." Her beaming smile is so realistically faked that even I have a hard time telling it's false. "Stay right here, alright? And be a good child."

A scowl etches it's way across my face as the woman walks away from me, the very picture of a dutiful mother. I'll be happy when I'm a trainer and free of her.

My hands caress three hard spheres in my jacket pocket. With the help of the creatures inside, I'll never be under her command again.

**XxXxXxX**

Goldenrod is very different than what I expected, quieter and far more sedate than Celadon back home. It's a nice change to being trapped on that damned train with that damned woman. I don't think I would mind staying here for a few days, get to see what the local shops offer.

Too bad I don't have time.

I estimate it'll take me two weeks to get to New Bark town on foot. Or more depending on what pokemon I've been given.

I growl, boots making a light 'clip' sound with every step. I'm thankful that the train station is near Route 35, allowing me to check out my new companions sooner. Of course, Route 35 is also crawling with trainers looking to level up before challenging Whitney. Being able to say I'm not a certified trainer is a blessing, especially since some of the trainers look like they come from out of the country.

Lesson 63 pops into my head, _foreign trainers are usually champion level, avoid battles with such trainers at all costs. _

It takes a while before I come onto a stretch of grass that's out of site of the main road. There's always a chance that someone might stumble upon me, but I'm doubtful that will happen. The smooth red and white spheres in my pocket call out to be, begging to be opened.

I'm all too happy to comply.

The first ball is disappointing. A ledyba, probably only three or four months old, wings too underdeveloped for constant flight. I'll be trading this one away as soon as I can. Don't have time to train it into a strong fighter.

Maybe the second try will be better.

The second ball is equally disappointing. A sunkern, about a year old from the color of the petals. It'll be traded as well, for the same reason as the ledyba. I don't have time.

I glare at the last ball, trying to steel myself to the chance of another disappointment.

The third ball opens to reveal a _flareon_ of all pokemon. A young, maybe a year old, but healthy and strong looking flareon.

All I can do is gape for a while, while it stares back at me with meek expression. Then it tries to bite me.

"Gyah!" I yelp as the red fox-dog-cat thing lunges at me, eyes sparkling with mayhem and amusement. "Stop that!" My hand lashes out, tapping the red puff ball on the nose. "Sanoko! That's not funny!"

_I thought it was funny. _My wonderful, arrogant, annoying, and dependable flareon grins, fangs glittering in the sun. _Did you really believe I would let you be sent on this foolish journey with whatever trash they felt like giving you? _She gives me a practiced evil smirk. _Silly kit._

"Oh shut up. I was worried I might have to break into the holding facility and steal you back." Relief makes my bones go weak. I was so afraid that they might give Sanoko away to some other person. "I'm so glad to see you." My arms wrap around my beloved starter, holding her tightly to my chest.

_Stop it. We have work to do. _

"Right. Gotta go get registered." I stand up and stuff the two other pokeballs into my backpack, before pocketing Sanoko's.

_And once you are registered?_

I smile grimly. "We melt the Order of Steel into slag."

**XxXxXxX**

_I dream of a place where I followed what orders I was given. Of a time were I killed, human and pokemon alike, and did not regret it. _

_A place and a world in which I actually fit in the role I had been given. Where I did not resist the orders I was told, but instead carried them out happily. _

_The place that I dream of, I hope it is not real._

_How miserable my life is in that parallel world. _


	2. Park Point

**I do now own Pokemon**

**I do own Trainer and Sanoko.**

**Second chapter, in which Trainer's sex is revealed. **

**XxXxXxX**

_So, what now? _Sanoko skips alongside me, tail a puffy banner. _It's only a few hours after sun-high, we have time to find less useless companions. _She prances past a few trainers, looking like an expensive pet and not the trained fighter that she is. I catch a few people giving me dismissive looks, obviously thinking I'm some 10-year old brat out to walk her rare pokemon.

Screw all of them sideways with a rusty ax. I'm 13, even though I don't look like it. Also, I'm a boy.

...not that anyone would be able to tell, considering the fact that I'm wearing a skirt. Damn Annabel for providing me with this outfit. I understand why she gave it to me, people tend to be nicer to females, but I sure don't like it.

I shake my head, there's no point in brooding over this, not when I have better things to do. Like getting rid of the useless sunkern and ledyba. Once they're gone, I'll be able to concentrate on getting some real fighters.

"Hey you! I challenge you to a battle!" I jump, startled, but the voice isn't directed at me. One of the trainers by the side of the road is pointing at a woman wearing the uniform of a daycare worker. Sanoko blinks, scampering towards me when she notices that I'm not moving. The trainer, a 17-something male, releases two pokemon while continuing to demand that the woman battle him. "I'll win this time Riza!"

The other trainers that were about to interfere back away, if this is a personal argument, no one wants to get caught up in it. Sanoko gives me a questioning look, clearly wondering if we should help out since the daycare lady only has one visible pokeball. I really do want to help, but I can't risk Sanoko's health, especially since she's my only protection right now.

I scoop her up and dash around the battle, the woman having released her pokemon while I run by. When I risk a look back her pokemon is actually wiping the floor with the male's, even while outnumbered. One day I'll train Sanoko to the point where she'll be able to do the same thing.

**XxXxXxX**

It's almost dark by the time that we reach the gatehouse leading into National Park. _We should have been here hours ago. _Sanoko snaps angrily. _Stupid humans. _I groan in reply, trying futilely to brush away several layers of ingrained dust from my training outfit. We had been in sight of the gatehouse, but some idiot decided to have his flygon use sandstorm, forcing everyone to take cover and wait until the weather cleared.

_I have sand in my fur. Knowing my luck it'll turn into glass by the time I get it out. _I smirk at the expression on the red fox-lion's face, she'll be grooming her mane for weeks before all the dust is gone. _I assume we will sleep here. I am not going anywhere until my mane and tail are clean. _And with that my stubborn flareon prances over to one of the many rest benches and takes shelter underneath, tongue and teeth already at work untangling the cream-orange hairs.

I can't help but roll my eyes at her behavior. Sanoko is such a princess at times.

However, since I'm finally at the gatehouse, I'll be able to get rid of the two useless pokemon in my backpack. All it takes is a quick trip to the reception desk and a fabricated lie about finding the occupied pokeballs on the ground. It feels good to free of the responsibility of taking care of those two, especially since I have Sanoko.

_So what now? _Sanoko mutters, taking a moment to delicately spit a mouthful of sand on the floor. _I can't protect you myself, though I am loathe to admit it. _She makes a sound very similar to a sigh. _I wish that Torch was here. _

I blink, eyes suddenly watery, and nod. "So do I. Things would be so much easier if he was." The worn pleather covering is smooth under my hands as I realize how very powerless I am. I'm a 13 year-old seeking to destroy one of the most powerful cults in Ka-Jo, with nothing more than a backpack filled with sand and a flareon who has barely mastered the use of fire fang. If my arcanine was here, I wouldn't have to worry about traveling speed or dealing with other trainers. _And that bitch Annabel decided that she could use him better. I'll make her suffer for that. _That thought makes me smile, just one more thing I have to look forward too.

Speaking of having a backpack full of sand, my hands dig through the backpack I was given, pulling out objects and setting them aside so I can shake all the sand from it. The item capsules are filled with potions and other healing items, a sleeping bag, a set of camping pots and pans, two changes of clothes (I am disturbed to see that both come with skirts), a dozen greatballs, and several packets of instant noodles. I grin slightly, the greatballs will come in handy, especially since I haven't been given any money.

_I am going to nap. Wake me up in 4 hours._ With that announcement, Sanoko curls up and falls asleep, leaving me to my thoughts as I repack my items.

They aren't pretty.

The first thing that bubbles into my mind is the mission that I'm supposed to be doing: infiltrate Jasmine's gym and monitor her movements. Jasmine isn't one of the converts, so it's possible that the Touched by Registeel want to recruit her. I doubt that there is any chance of Jasmine accepting, gym leaders are notoriously impartial in religious and political matters. Of course, the easiest way to infiltrate the gym is to become a gym trainer, so I have to get registered.

Or that's the explanation that I gave Annabel and the other Touched.

In reality, if I'm a registered trainer, they can't just make me disappear when they find out what I've planned. Lesson 12: _Always make sure that someone is aware of where you are and how long you will be away. That way if something goes wrong, you can be rescued. _It is so very sweet to use the lessons that they taught me to bring them down.

Revenge aside, I need more pokemon. At least two of my future team will have to be steel-typed, even though I loathe steel pokemon. A ground-type and a fighting-type are a must, along with a psychic. Which is problematic, since I don't have the slightest clue at training pokemon that aren't fire-typed.

I'm startled out of my brooding by the arrival of several trainers, all carrying nets and followed by various pokemon. The receptionist smiles at them and hands over several sheets, which they pass to each other, chattering cheerfully about some kind of bug catching contest. A light flickers on in my head, screaming at me to get one of the sheets and sign up.

If I remember correctly, there are wild scyther in the park.

Scyther that evolve into steel-typed scizor.

**XxXxXxX**

"Stupid nighttime."

_And who couldn't wait until morning to enter this stupid contest? _Sanoko snarks as I pick myself up, having tripped over a knot of grass. She yawns, a small plume of fire escaping her mouth before she closes it. _Be quite kit, or you'll wake up the prey. _

"Shut up." I stalk off into the trees surrounding the main grassy area of the park, since scyther rest in trees during the night time. Ten minutes into the contest and I haven't found a single sign of scyther activity. From what I can remember, scyther trim the grass of their hunting grounds, in order to move freely and be able to easily spot their prey. Of course, this being a park, the grass is always trimmed so knowing that isn't helping me at all. "You think you can climb a tree and scout from above? We're not going to find anything if we stay on the ground."

_If it means that I can go back to sleep, then yes. _Sanoko stretches and claws her way up into the nearest tree, leaving orange cream hairs in the bark. I have to fight down a snicker as her carefully groomed mane and tail get tangled up again. _If I get a scyther, you owe me a trip to a groomer. A nice one. _

"First thing when we get to Violet City. Don't complain, I don't have any money right now." Sanoko's response is to shake some leaves down onto my head, before padding off silently. It's hard to follow her movements, even though she's a bright orange-red colored lion-fox, and I actually lose sight of her a few times. "Try and find one soon. We've only got nine minutes left."

Sanoko doesn't bother answering me.

Three minutes before the deadline, I hear some thing screaming in pain, along with the sounds of something very sharp slicing the air. A bright plume of fire sends me running towards the trees to my immediate left, which nearly results in me being skewered on a bone blade. Only Sanoko barreling into the segmented torso of her prey saves me from becoming very dead.

Even burned, green exoskeleton cracked in places, the scyther is a glorious sight to behold. The deadly white bone blades, the only true bones that it possesses, a smudged with soot and splashes of ichor. The preying mantis hisses at me, backing away with a limp, eyes bright with pain and fear. The ridges on its head are short and gently rounded, indicating that its a juvenile. An adult, even one barely over the age of two, would have highly defined ridges meant for courtship.

_You better catch him. I'm not chasing down another one. _Sanoko comments, annoyance lacing her words. I nod, throwing a greatball at the exhausted mantis. The capture light flickers a few times, before dimming with a hiss. A breath that I didn't know I was holding escapes me; I wasn't expecting the scyther to escape, but being informed of a successful capture is always reassuring. _Let's go, we should get out of here before anyone realizes what happened. _I nod again, stuffing the occupied greatball into the main section of my backpack and gesturing for Sanoko to follow.

Time to return all twenty parkballs and pretend that I couldn't catch a thing. The guards won't want to bother an unlucky little girl who is so obviously incapable as a trainer.

**XxXxXxX**

_I am not a child of steel. _

_I am a child of fire. My will burns away all obstacles. My will flares bright with the light of the sun. _

_You will not tell me who I am. You will not change who I am. I will not let my heart be doused. _

_I will not turn out like the one I see in my dreams. The one who let his will turn to ash. The one who let his soul be folded into a steel-carbon blade. _

_I am a child of fire. You will all feel my rage. _


	3. Healing Point

**I do not own Pokemon**

**I do own Trainer and Sanoko and the to be named scyther. **

**In which Trainer screams like a little girl. **

**And I discover that really, really does not like openoffice. For some reason or another. Sorry if there are mistakes, I only fixed the random Chinese works that randomly popped up. **

**XxXxXxX**

It's not until I'm on Route 36 that I realize a glaring hole in my plans.

I can't get the scyther healed at Pokemon Center.

Legally, non-trainers are not allowed to own more than two domestic pokemon. Domestic pokemon are pokemon like pidgey, meowth, the eevee family, and the hound family. Scyther, are most definitely NOT domestic pokemon.

Scyther actually belong in the dangerous category; pokemon that kill to survive or enjoy killing. Ironically, most domestic pokemon evolve into dangerous ones, the best example being purrloin. Liepard are sadistic, sneaky pokemon that enjoy killing for the sake of killing, though they thankfully prefer killing small flying-type pokemon over humans.

"Magicrap", Sanoko doesn't hear me, having fallen asleep on my shoulders as soon as we left the gatehouse. I know it isn't considered to be all the intelligent for a young boy, visually girl, to be traveling at night, but I don't have the time to wait until sun up. Thankfully, I don't feel any of the nighttime chill, since my Sanoko-scarf is quite warm and comfortable. I'm gonna have to heal that bug myself...which will have to wait until Sanoko wakes up, since I am NOT going to try and hold down an angry scyther by myself, injured or not.

A scowl etches itself on my face when I realize that it'll take me at least another full day and night of walking to get to the next town. That realization also triggers my body to scream at me that it's tired, and that I should find a nice safe place to rest for the night. I end up trudging off of the main path, until I find a tree with a large hollow at the base. I barely manage to unroll my sleeping bag and crawl in, before I fall asleep.

**XxXxXxX**

_Morning sleepy kit. Wake up and get moving. _Sanoko yowls, translator crackling at the pitch, as she kneads my face with her claws. _Wake up, I brought you breakfast. _

"Wha-?" I blink, groggily rubbing my eyes, "What time is it?"

_Oh...two hours after dawn. Time to get moving! _Satisfied that she's woken me up, the flareon gets off of my chest and prances away.

Only to come back a few seconds later to dump a scorched hoot hoot corpse where my legs are. _Eat up. We need to move. _I groan and push the dead bird off of my sleeping bag, and crawl out of it's fluffy, warm confines.

I yawn, jaw clicking, and stagger to my feet, hands already at work rolling up the sleeping bag and stuffing it back into my backpack. I nearly reach for toothpaste and a toothbrush before I realize that a) there isn't a water source nearby and b) I don't have toothpaste or a toothbrush which means I'll have to go buy some when I have money. I do, however have a wooden comb and I'm halfway through combing my hair (dammit, I hate having long hair) when I remember that I have to heal the scyther. "Oi, Sanoko! Come here." I gingerly pick up the hoot hoot corpse as she prances over. "I'm gonna heal the scyther, so be ready for trouble okay?" She nods, shifting into a pouncing position, fur flaring up from her body creating extra heat in preparation of a fight. Carefully maintaining my hold on the dead bird, I throw the scyther's greatball a short distance away from me. "Come out!"

I really need to give him a name...though I don't have any ideas right now.

In a flash of red light the scyther materializes, still injured and burned. He hisses at me, weakly backing away, fear and distrust clear in his eyes. I can't help but wince at the full extend of the damage that he's suffered, since all the gory details of his injuries are clearly visible in light of day. "Hey there. You hungry?" A quick toss throws the bird corpse at the preying mantis' feet, the action causing him to jump back in fear, before inching forward. It's clear that he's starving, though he's still watching me and Sanoko with distrustful eyes.

_Oh for the love of Heatran, don't be so scared. I'm not going to hurt you anymore! _Sanoko snaps, tail waving in frustration. _You don't have to act like I'm going to attack you at any moment!_

The scyther hisses back in reply, saying something I can't quite understand...

_Well...that is a good point, but I promise not to hurt you anymore. _She meows, relaxing her stance and sitting down. _Unless we are training, but that is a giving during sparring and such. Anyway, you should eat, cause you need to heal and healing makes you hungry. _

The bug-type chirps in confusion, gesturing to the half-cooked corpse in front of it. _Yes, my Trainer is giving it to you to eat. You are part of the team now, so it's natural to take care of you. _I can practically see the gears turning in the scyther's head, as he processes what Sanoko is saying. Sanoko actually slips into a language the translator can't understand, but the scyther obviously does, resulting in a rapid fire conversation I am not privy to.

On that note, I'm jealous that all pokemon can understand each other, despite the difference in regional dialects. Must be some sort of primal or origin language or something like that.

I'm broken from my musings when the scyther greedily tears into the hoot hoot corpse, feathers and bits of gore flying everywhere. Sanoko meanwhile looks pleased, and prances off into the bush, calling to me over her shoulder. _I'm going to get more food, he's a growing boy and needs it. Oh, and you can heal him now, he understands that you can't hurt him. _

Thanks. That makes me feel so much better.

Grumbling to myself, I dig through my backpack in search of healing items. From the looks of it, I'll probably need at least one can of potion and another of super potion. Definitely need a burn heal...probably three from the number of heat blisters that are on his carapace. It takes a few minutes for me to find the items I need, having messed up the order that they where in when I dragged out my sleeping bag last night.

When I turn around the first thing I see is a bright green soot-streaked muzzle in my face.

I'm embarrassed to say I shriek like a little girl.

My yelp makes the scyther back away, surprise clear in his eyes, though he doesn't move more than a foot backwards. The bug actually crouches down and studies me, curiosity clear on his face. Once I realize that he's not going to do anything, I calm down and pick up a bottle of super potion. It takes a little more time before I work up the courage to touch the praying mantis, fingers gliding over the hard bone blades that serve as his greatest weapons.

The blades are rather cold and grimy, a nearly invisible layer of ash covering them. The sticky, almost gritty feeling makes me want to wash my hands, but I ignore the desire in favor of spraying the first injury I see with super potion. The scyther remains still, though I would have though he would have jumped back or freaked out. Most pokemon do, when they first come in contact with human-made items. I guess that Sanoko told him what to expect when I was spacing out, since he doesn't even flinch, instead he actually helps me by willingly exposing his injured areas.

Odd, it makes me think that he might have had a trainer before, if he's this used to being treated.

A particularly nasty burn on his abdomen makes me wince, since the exoskeleton around the injury is blistered and spotted with fluid filled pustules. The burn itself is a sort of dark off-gray, the worst areas flaking bits of ashy white...something. The burn heal spray thankfully takes care of it, causing the burned areas to shed off and forcing healthy green scales to grow. Thankfully I manage to treat all the burns before I run out of burn heal, though I'll definitely need to buy more as soon as possible.

Sanoko returns just as I finish healing the mantis, dragging the body of a rather large pidgey. The scyther immediately snatches up the bird, fanged jaws making short work of the Tiny Bird pokemon's frail bones. The crunching noises make me snort in amusement, especially when the scyther pauses his eating to give me a concerned look. He's got feathers poking out from his mouth and plastered to his head with blood, making him look like he just killed a feather pillow. Another snort escapes my mouth, which blooms into a full on bout of hysterical laughter.

Sanoko just rolls her eyes at me and sits nearby, waiting for me to finish.

**XxXxXxX**

It takes me about half an hour to calm down. I apparently ended up worrying the scyther, since he didn't start eating again till I stop giggling like a twit. Once I did though, he immediately wolfed down the rest of the pidgey.

"So are you done eating for now?" I have Sanoko translate for me, since I definitely don't want any misunderstands that might undo all the work that I put into making him healthy again. "Okay, that's good. I'm going to put you back into your greatball for now. Got it?" He nods, waiting patiently as I maximize his container and suck him back into it.

"Well, that was exciting." I sigh, minimizing the greatball and hiding it in my backpack, before swinging the pack onto my shoulder. "Better get moving huh?"

_Definitely. We spent about an hour and a half, fixing up the little gallant. _She snorts, _It would have only taken an hour if _someone _didn't have a mental breakdown. _

"Well excuse me, Miss Princess, if not all of us have the same mental strength of a pokemon." I snipe back, "Now...which way is the road?"

After finding our bearings and making back to Route 36, me and Sanoko continue out trek toward New Bark town. I estimate that it's about 10:45 AM, since the sun rises at about 6:20 AM during the fall. It's a nice day, a bit colder than yesterday. There isn't anyone else on the trail, except the occasional pidgey flitting about. I know that there are vulpix, growlithe, stantler, and shinx in the bushes, which is funny since shinx are Sinnoh pokemon. While shinx are rare, they are considered a pest pokemon, since they aren't native to Johto. It's actually fairly common for people to kill shinx when they see them, since they mess up the local environment. It makes me wonder who was stupid enough to release a shinx into the Johto wilderness...though it was probably some spoiled brat who didn't know how to take care of it.

Speaking of releasing pokemon..."Sanoko?"

_Yes, Trainer? _My flareon asks delicately, tail wagging under the bright sun. _You should eat you know. You haven't had anything to eat since you left the Order. _As if to prove the Flame pokemon right, my stomach growls. My response to my stomach and to my obnoxious flareon is to dig out one of the packets of instant noodles, crush the noodles and sprinkle them with the powdered soup base, before eating them like chips. _That is not what I meant by eating something. _

"Shush, it's food okay?" I mumble from around a mouthful of dried, fried, salted wheat product. "Anyway, what's with the scyther? He a trained pokemon or something?"

_What? Oh...well not really. _She glances back and sighs at the sight of my raised eyebrow. _He was born on a breeder ranch, since wild scyther are practically extinct, and was shipped to the National Park for the sole purpose of being captured in a contest. So he has had some contact with humans, as well as a bit of training so that he would be strong enough to survive in the park until someone caught him. _

"That explains a lot, though it still doesn't answer the question why he's so comfortable with me right away." Mmmm...salt and MSG...my favorite flavorings.

_First off, he's comfortable around you because you remind him of one of his old caretakers-_

"Isn't that kinda...I don't know...oddly convenient?"

_Shush, do not question the gifts that Heatran has bestowed on you. _She snaps, ears twitching with annoyance. _He also views you as a rather helpless baby, one that is to be protected, not feared. _Before I can protest, my flareon barrels on with her explanation. _Yes, you command me, but that simply makes him respect your skill as a trainer, since I managed to beat him so easily. _There is a smug tone in her voice, and I swear Sanoko prances a bit higher after saying that. _He's quite the noble warrior type, one who is willing to serve the one who defeated him in combat. _

"...wouldn't that be you?" I remark dryly, before stuffing another piece of instant ramen into my mouth. "Since you know...you were the one to beat him up."

_Usually that would be the case, but, I am a trained pokemon-_

"All your wins are directly given to me." I finish, rolling my eyes at the slightly convoluted logic that rules the pokemon code of combat. "How convenient." I grumble, crunching away at another chunk of instant noodle.

_Like I said, don't question the gifts that Heatran has bestowed on you. _She retorts, giving me a mock-disapproving look. _And before you ask, no, he does not have a name. He is actually rather looking forward to you giving him one. _With that, my delightful, and occasionally too smart for her own good, flareon dashes forward and scatters a group of pidgey with mildly sociopathic glee. _Run, birdies run! Flee in terror before the might of Sanoko!_

I grin, it's nice to see Sanoko acting like the child that she supposed to be. Being a part of the Order of Steel has made her grow up way too fast, since the eevee family doesn't hit adulthood until three years of age. Of course, it can be argued that I've matured too fast was well, but I don't think it matters all that much. Being a trainer tends to force people to grow into adulthood a lot faster than they would in more protected environments. Fitting since being a trainer means you mature fast, or you get killed by one of the many hazards of the wilderness.

Shaking my head to clear it of my somewhat depressing thoughts, I consider the fact that the scyther actually wants a name. I haven't named any pokemon besides Sanoko, and her name was a direct jab at the Order, since in the "secret" language the the Touched created, Sanoko means "Melter" or "Slag Maker". Don't ask me how that even makes sense, I didn't make the stupid language, but I did learn it even though I'm not supposed to know it, being a novice level member. It was funny pretending that I didn't know what the implications of her name were. What was funnier was evolving her into a flareon before they could force me to evolve her into jolteon. Serves them right for trying to make me and Sanoko be members of their electric/steel squad.

I hate magnemite, and those are the bulk of the electric/steel squad. Those things are just so creepy, especially since they only have one eye and _eat_ electricity. They wanted Sanoko to basically serve as a food source for the little one-eyed freaks. I like to see them try to feed on her now. Bastards.

But back to business...what am I going to name that scyther?

...I have no idea.

**XxXxXxX**

"_But...but I don't _want _a jolteon." A young boy of 12 years protectively cradles his only pokemon, a five-month old female eevee. _

_Several people gasp, shocked at the sheer gall of the boy's words. _

"_...You have been given with a place in the Magnet Corps and yet you _dare_ refuse the honor?" The adult's body is stiff with anger, anger that can easily be translated into a punishment that the boy will not enjoy one bit._

"_...oh...I'm sorry. I didn't know" Head bowed low, every line of the boy's body radiating embarrassment and shame. The pokemon in his lap whines, sympathetic to her trainer's plight. "...__I'll evolve her...but..."_

_Unease and indignation from the boy's peers, several holding their own electric or steel-types. _

"_Speak up. What is it?"_

"_Can...can I have her evolve in private? I..." The boy looks down, black bangs covering his eyes, fingers gently combing through the eevee's fur. "It__'s just that she's my first pokemon and seeing her evolve is special..."_

_Silence, broken only by the softest breaths. The boy's superior looks thoughtful, carefully studying one of the most troublesome novices that the Order has had in a while. After a moment the superior officer speaks, voice filled with the gracious kindness and false generosity that is only shown to the completely defeated. "Yo__u may, so long as your eevee is evolved before this time tomorrow." A curt nod to a nearby assistant results in the boy being presented with a box containing a rare and valuable thunderstone. The boy takes it, hands shaking slightly and stands, bowing deeply before fleeing the room. His eevee trots after him, tail dragging like a banner of despair. _

"_Now that that is taken care of...we will continue the meeting" An indulgent smile from the boy's superior, as the rest of the novices snap to attention, eagerly awaiting the orders of their master. _

_XxXxXxX_

_Back in his room, the boy carefully locks the door, before setting the cursed stone on his desk table. The female eevee jumps onto his bed, careful to stay out of her trainer's way. The room itself is rather bare, only furnished with a bed, a desk, and a chair for _study._ It does not seem like a place that anyone could hide something. _

_But he has hidden something, an item that would get him the most severe punishment allowed for novices his age. It's stashed in the hollow metal leg of his bed, the upper right one to be exact. That is the corner that is protected on two sides by the walls of his room, and the most difficult for him to access. The boy wriggles under his bed, barely able to fit due to the low height, and digs his nails into a barely noticeable seam. A two and a half inch by five inch panel pops off, exposing a cavity carefully lined with scraps of fabric. Nestled in the fabric is his most treasured possession, glowing a cheerful orange while a flickering light dances in the center. _

_A firestone. _

_It's not a very large piece, but more than enough to do the job that it is meant to. His fingers delicately ease the precious stone from its hiding place, and his wriggles back out from under the bed with more than a little difficulty. _

_The eevee croons in delight, paying rapt attention to the internal flame that dances merrily in the glass-like gem. The boy smiles at the happiness of his pokemon, and offers it to eevee, letting her chose when she wants to take the final step. _

_Evolution by evolutionary stones is very risky, they both know that. Most pokemon in the compound are exposed to constant low levels of thunderstone radiation, due to the nature of this particular training compound. Thunderstones increase the power of electric-types and electric-typed moves, making them extremely useful when training magnemites and electric empowered klink._

_Of course, the constant exposure would have made is very easy and very safe for the eevee to evolve into a jolteon. However, she has been exposed to an equal, if not greater, amount of firestone radiation. Under her thick mane is a simple choker, a small shard of firestone that had been carefully chipped from the main stone that the boy holds, tightly secured by woven strands. The piece is far too small to force evolution, but more than enough to prepare her body to become a flareon. She has been turning into a flareon over the last two months, the fur of her mane and tail thickening and lightening in color, while the fur covering her body has started to take a faint reddish tint._

_The boy looks at his beloved starter and smiles, noticing her eyes have begun to take a slight bluish sheen. That is the last sign that he has been looking for, one that signifies that it is safe for her to evolve. _

_Noticing her trainer's expression of happiness, the eevee smiles as well, though the look is far more predatory than the boy can ever manage. Taking a deep breath, she leans forward and touches her nose to the stone and waits. _

_She didn't need to wait long. _

_The white glow of evolution envelopes her body, as changes began to take place. Her tail fluffs out, cream fur bristling outward until the appendage resembles a pale burst of fire. The thick tear-drop shaped mane that all eevees have withdraws, then grows outward in all directions, becoming more circular in shape. The growth of the flareon's mane breaks the choker that she has worn for two months, the thin rope falling to the floor silently, the fire shard it holds empty of power, as her body has absorbed it in its change. On her forehead a second candle-flame shaped tuft of fur grows, the same color as the fur that makes up her tail and mane. The specialized fur that makes up her mane, tail, and head tuft will help her vent extra heat so she will be able to not burn those who wish to touch her. The dense fur brown fur that had covered her pre-evolution body shortens and thickens, becoming almost like velvet in texture, and takes on a deep orange hue. Limbs lengthen, becoming corded with muscle as her paw pads change from light pink to pale yellow. Her head changes shape, becoming more angular, as longer fangs sprout from her lips. Smooth brown ears turn orange and widen, adding a deeper curve to the lower half as spiky tufts of orange fur grow along the upper edges. Lastly, the soft brown eyes of a eevee narrow and give way to the deep blue eyes of a flareon, new confidence and aggression gleaming in their dark depths. _

_The boy gapes, nearly having forgotten to breath during his starter's change. The firestone in his hand glimmers once and goes dark, its power spent, turning it into a mere grayish chunk of glass. He doesn't regret the use of the stone at all, having seen the change it wrought. _

_Fully changed, the new flareon tests her body, leaping from the bed to the floor and the floor to the desk and so forth. The boy watches entranced, a truly happy smile gracing his lips. As his beloved starter basks in the glory of her evolution, his smile changes to one nearly as predatory as his flareon's._

"_Well...the bitch better be pleased, after all I did evolve you, didn't I?"_


	4. Pointed

**I do not own Pokemon. **

**I do own my OCs**

**The damn scyther still doesn't have a name. I'll think of one...eventually. **

**Sorry for the super slow updates. But life is hectic. **

**XxXxXxX**

"How about Paladin?" I wonder aloud, the morning sun beating down on my face. My wake up call this morning was a lot more pleasant than the one yesterday, mostly since Sanoko didn't tap dance on my face. After the excitement of healing the scyther, the day was fairly dull since we didn't do anything but walk. Which is what we are doing now, plodding along route 36 like a pair of miltank wandering toward the next pen of a feed lot. I also haven't found a name for the scyther. Yet.

Sanoko gives me a look of mild disbelief. _Are you serious? That sounds like something you would name a gallade. _

"Hey, I'm not good with names okay?" I mutter, attempting to shove my hands in my pockets, only to remember that my skirt does not have pockets. Dammit, I hate skirts.

_When you pout like that you look very much like a girl. _

"Shut up and help me figure out a name." I growl, fists gripping the annoying _pink _fabric that barely comes down to my mid-thigh. A quick rebuke from Sanoko has me smoothing out the fabric, since I don't want to end up flashing someone on accident.

_Why not use the same theme you did with me? Name him using that pathetic excuse of a secret language. _She responds in an overly reasonable tone, tail waving lazily in the mid-day sun.

"...I guess?" I tilt my head to the side, pondering the thought. "Huh...never considered it." A number of names flash through my head, but none of them have the right screw you connotations that I want.

_Of course you wouldn't. Oooh...look a trainer! Can we go beat him up? _Sanoko yips, prancing excitedly. _Can we? We need the money. _

"Oh sure we can, if you want me to get sued." I lean over and ruffle the soft cream hairs on her head in apology. " Not a trainer yet, so if something goes wrong I'll be the one in trouble remember?"

_Feh, you humans and your silly rules. _

"Keep this up and I'll let Torch eat you. When we get him back that is."

Sanoko grumbles a bit, but doesn't do anything when we pass by the other boy. He gives Sanoko a greedy look, but quickly stops when I scoop up the flareon and give him my best death glare. I'm well aware that people may want to obtain Sanoko, either by trade or by stealing her. It's happened to other novices, mostly ones with pokemon from outside the Kan-Jo area. The difference of course, was that the Order quickly retrieved the stolen pokemon and came down on the thieves like a sack of bricks. I don't have the same luxury of having some stronger group to rely on.

Though if someone tries to steal Sanoko I'm going to release the scyther and let him eat them.

**XxXxXxX**

"So. Boooooring." Sanokok gives me a sharp look as I complain for the six hundredth and fifty-eighth time. I ignore her glare in favor of staring at the sky, legs automatically following the path. "It's not natural Sanoko! We haven't seen a single trainer since that boy yesterday."

_The one who was undressing me with his eyes? _The orange fox-dog-cat hisses, distaste clear in her voice.

"...Sanoko...you don't wear clothes."

_Get serious Trainer! That doesn't stop people from staring at me like I'm a piece of meat. _She snaps, fire winding through her tail and flaring up in brief plumes. _Or thinking that I'm weak just because my species is considered inferior to the other members of the eevee family. _Finished making her point, my flareon huffs and turns away from me, injured pride and indignation clear in every line of her body.

There is an awkward silence for several minutes, broken only by the occasional chirping of pidgey.

_Sorry Trainer. _Sanoko mutters, fluff wilting under the weight of her sheepishness. _I didn't mean to yell at you. _

"No problem." I grin, reaching over and ruffling her head fur. "I kinda needed that. I was spacing out earlier." Sanoko gives a snort at that statement. "But I am concerned at the fact that we haven't seen any trainers since yesterday." Despite the warmth of the mid-day sun, I feel a shiver of anxiety run down my spine. "This is supposed to be a really commonly traveled route. You're supposed to see a bunch of trainers wandering around all the time. But there isn't anyone here."

We both look around at the same time, feelings of unease coasting through the air. In wordless agreement, we pick up the pace, hoping that we find some sort of ranger station or shelter before dark.

We aren't that lucky.

**XxXxXxX**

It is 6 PM when I get ambushed.

It gets dark early in the fall, so neither Sanoko or I notice the thin noose in the shadows of the setting sun. We both definitely notice it when Sanoko steps into the hoop and the thread tightens, binding her forelegs together and tripping her. She's jerked off her feet and smashes head first into the ground, just as what I thought was nothing more than a bush bursts open, revealing an ariados and several men dressed in dark clothing.

"SANOKO!" I instinctively lunge for her, only to end up backpedaling when the ariados hisses at me and spits several needle-like strands of hardened silk at my feet. "Give her back!"

One of the men chuckles, signaling the ariados to start wrapping my dazed flareon in silk. The other men have their hands on various pokeballs, but they don't seem to be at all worried by my yelling. I guess they think a little "girl" with a cute little pet flareon is just easy pickings.

I'll make sure they don't live to regret their hubris.

"Hey! Give my flareon back!" I wail, "I-I give you my money, just don't take her!" I swing my backpack off and start digging through it like I'm searching for my (non-existent) cash. It's actually rather nerve racking, since the one item I'm looking for is at the very bottom of my bag. Thankfully, the thugs don't seem think that I'm doing anything worth worrying about. One of the bastards actually chuckles at me, seeming to take a certain amount of amusement from my panicking.

_Trainer! Help! _Sanoko screeches, having come out of her dazed state. Smart girl, playing along. Then again, if she wasn't smart I never would have kept her as my main pokemon... _Trainer! I'm afraid! _Her pleas snap me out of my thoughts. _Trainer! I feel so..._

_ARCEUS DAMNED PISSED OFF!_

I really love Sanoko sometimes. Her sense of dramatic timing is waaaaaaaaay better than mine.

The half-completed cocoon bursts into flame, startling the ariados and causing it to scuttle back fearfully. The four-legged spider's trainer recoils as well, obviously shocked that his prey is fighting back for once. His next movements are to run around screaming in agony as Sanoko envelopes him within the fire spin that she used to escape the silk threads.

The man nearest to me reaches for his pokeballs, clearly set on releasing the creatures inside. That's something I will not allow, and he's close enough for me to do something about it. It only takes a second for me to release the scyther, having found his greatball while Sanoko set the ariados' trainer on fire.

"Get that one!" I randomly point in the direction of one of the other men, dropping my bag on the ground so it doesn't slow me down. He nods then gives a truly blood-curling battle cry, scythes gleaming in the flames produced by Sanoko. I don't bother checking if he actually hits anything, curling my hand into a fist and slamming it into the crotch of the man nearest to me. As a boy, I'm well aware of home much it hurts to be unexpectedly hit in the balls, though I have no sympathy for the man crumpled at my feet.

While he's down, I take the time to remove his pokeballs, chucking the miniaturized spheres into the brush on the other side of the road. A feral grin crosses my face, I'd like to see the bastard find them now. For good measure, to make sure he stays out of the melee, I kick him on to his back and stomp repeatedly on his crotch.

I hope he ends up as a woman.

So I'm feeling rather spiteful, which is perfectly justified given the current situation.

A scream of agony causes me to whip my head around so as to see what has caused the screaming. It turns to be Sanoko, smoke spilling from her mouth, her fangs buried in the thigh of one of the other men. His scream is cut short by the scyther's blade, the sharpened bone easily slicing through the man's flesh, before getting stuck in the cartilage between the neck vertebra. The scyther hisses, eyes gleaming red in the fire light, and wrenches his arm out of the body. It takes me a moment to realize that light is coming from a motionless body that is being merrily consumed by flames.

I look around, noticing that there is only one man left, and he looks positively terrified. It would probably be okay to let him go...but that means loose ends.

Lesson 22: _Don't leave loose ends. Do whatever is necessary to keep yourself safe, be it murder, blackmail, or simple lies. _

Well...seems like he'll have to die. I don't think Sanoko or the scyther will mind having another victim to practice on. Before I even have to open my mouth to speak, the scyther dashes forward and rips the man open from crotch to chin. It isn't a very deep strike, but it's deep enough to allow the thief's entrails to spill out over the floor. Whatever noise that the man would have made is cut off by Sanoko ripping out his throat, showering both pokemon with more blood.

"Well...that was rather messy." I comment dryly, being the only member of the team not splattered with blood. "We should probably get moving, before someone comes by and wonders how a kid and two pokemon killed three men." Sanoko nods in agreement, eyes still bright with battle lust and primal glee. The scyther shrugs, taking a moment to lick some of the gore off of his right scythe, before plunging it into the throat of the moaning man at my feet. "...make that four adults. Good call there, I almost forgot about him."

It then occurs to me that I should probably feel more worried about the fact that my pokemon killed some humans. It's probably not the healthiest thing in the world for me to not be disturbed by it.

Well, it's just one more mark against the Order. I'll make sure they pay their dues in time.

_Come, we need to get clean. _Sanoko orders imperiously, but I'm not at all bothered by her snootiness, since she deserves to be proud after what she did. _You did well. _She remarks to the scyther, making the young mantis perk up.

The blazing, literally, fox-cat strides off into the woods opposite of the dead bodies, clearly knowing where she wants to go. My, needs a name that I've not thought of yet, scyther calmly follows her, dripping gore all the while. I myself take on last look at the mutilated corpses and shrug, before following the two pokemon into the brush.

What I don't see, as I'm walking away, is the hate-filled glare of a soot-streaked ariados.

**XxXxXxX**

It occurs to me, while sitting on a giant bird, that life just loves to screw with me.

We did end up getting clean and almost completely dry thanks to Sanoko.

Then the ariados attacked.

The scyther and Sanoko make short work of it, but got all of us bloody and soot-streaked. Again.

So we ended up having to wash. Again.

Then Sanoko passed out from over using her fire abilities. I returned her and decided to keep the scyther out for protection. Also so I could apologize for not thinking up an appropriate name. Which he took with surprising grace.

Then a ranger saw me wandering around with a class 3 pokemon. Without a trainer's license. Which lead to a long lecture and me sitting on the back of giant bird thing.

...it occurs to me that I need a flying-type in my team.

Not just to make traveling faster, but also since flying is really, really fun. The massive tan and brown bird I'm riding on seems to like doing barrel rolls, causing me to screech in surprise and glee. I'm sure that the first few times where an attempt to scare me, but now I'm not so sure.

Aerial acrobatics aside, the view is awesome. All the tricky fields and forests are nothing more than patches of green divided by tan and black routes.

The ranger sitting behind me chuckles softly. It takes a moment before I remember that I'm not alone on the pidgeot, and that puts a huge damper on my spirits.

Not to say that I'm ungrateful. I'm really happy that I'm getting a free trip to New Bark town. I just wish I wasn't being escorted like some kind of criminal.

Which I kind of am, now that I think about it. As I'm pondering my criminal status (poaching, assault, and murder), the pidgeot begins to descend, much to my relief. As much as I enjoy flying, I'm really happy to get back on solid ground. The stupid panties really started to ride up about halfway through the trip. I really don't get how girls wear these things.

The ranger smiles faintly at my wobbly legged antics and slings my pack over his shoulder. I really wish I could have it back, but I don't think that is gonna happen. At least not until after I get my trainer's license. I wish one of my pokemon was out with me, but the ranger took both of their pokeballs.

A thread of fear runs through my veins when I realize that we aren't heading toward the pokemon laboratory. In fact, we're going in the opposite direction.

This cannot be good.

**XxXxXxX**

"Young miss, would you care to explain why you have a class 3 pokemon in your possession?" A tough looking woman snaps, slamming her hand against room's table. The table wobbles a bit, joints squeaking slightly.

For an interrogation room, this is pretty lame. I know I should probably be acting more scared...but Annabel is far, far scarier. Even on a good day.

The woman seems to notice that I'm not all that afraid of her and starts to turn an interesting shade of red. I don't think I've ever seen anyone's veins bulge out like that before, it looks like worms are living under her skin.

Eeeeeew.

I decide to say something before the police lady has a heart attack and I'm blamed for it. "He's my birthday present." I attempt to look small and harmless. "My mommy gave him to me when I left home."

"I find it hard to believe that your mother would let you take such a dangerous pokemon with you young miss." I flinch in surprise, craning my neck around to look at the man who just spoke. He's the ranger who flew me over, looking as if he doesn't have the slightest care in the world.

"Mommy trained him so he'll protect me." I let a hint of petulance and childish pride creep into my voice. "He's the best. Mommy said I could name him myself."

The man chuckles, then moves so that I don't have to twist myself half way around in order to look at him. "I don't doubt that miss, but you can't have a class 3 unless you have a trainer's license."

"I know that." I pout and feel completely disgusted with myself for being so girly. "I was coming here to get my license, but it takes a long time to walk over." With that I slouch a bit and let my hair brush over my face, partially hiding it from view.

The two officers share a look that they think I don't notice, the male looking mildly amused and the female looking exasperated. "All right miss. You're off the hook this time, but you're going to come with me to get your license right away." The man says gently, while his partner gives an annoyed huff in the back ground. "But we first want to see you work with the scyther, if you two get along you'll get him back right away. If not we'll going to hold on to him until you get at least two badges okay?"

Not exactly ideal, but I'll have to take it.

This is going to be interesting.

**XxXxXxX**

**Tune in next time to see Trainer finally get a trainer's license. Also, there will be a lot of fumbling around for a good name for the scyther and possibly even a new team member...if the damn thing would stop trying to chew on Sanoko that is.**


End file.
